


Disparity

by dragonsandrockets



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 21:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30078792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonsandrockets/pseuds/dragonsandrockets
Summary: Kaidan and Shepard are taking time to explore their polyamorous relationship, but Kaidan has concerns about Shepard's latest partner.
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/James Vega, Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Disparity

**Author's Note:**

> Just going to say now that this is not a standard 'happy couples' full romance fic. It's just a quick one-shot to explore how two characters might approach a serious ethical question in their relationship. Because I like the complicated content as much as the happy fics.

Trying to find time to have lunch with Kaidan had proven an impossibility in recent weeks. Almost none of the crew had managed to have sit-down meals. The war was simply too demanding. Nearly half of Shepard's meals in recent weeks had been eaten on the shuttle, as Steve was taking him in and out of war zones. But now the Normandy was headed back to the Citadel for some much-needed TLC, and everyone else could have some much-needed shore leave; Shepard finally had a chance to speak with his partner for longer than thirty seconds. He'd even managed to cook Kaidan's favourite, without burning it. But Kaidan did not seem appreciative at the effort. He lowered his fork and placed it on the plate in front of him, leaving his steak untouched.

“Tali…” Kaidan said, crossing his arms. “Tali…our Tali. Tali’Zorah.”

“Vas Normandy," Shepard replied happily. "The one and only.”

Kaidan hummed to himself and then picked up his fork. He stabbed at a potato, before dropping his fork again. Shepard frowned at this and placed down his own cutlery as he studied Kaidan’s reaction.

“Is something wrong?" Shepard asked gently. "I thought you wanted us to be honest.”

Kaidan nodded, silent. He stood up, and walked away from the table. He ran his hand over the back of his head before he turned back to face Shepard. He hesitated to find the right words, and Shepard watched him, confused. 

“Are you jealous?” Shepard asked eventually.

“No, Shepard,” Kaidan scoffed quietly. “I am not jealous.”

“Then, what’s wrong?” Shepard asked seriously. “I thought we had an agreement. I’ve been happy with you and James seeing each other. We’re making this work.”

“Yeah, so I thought,” Kaidan retorted.

Shepard shook his head, still confused. “ We said things would be fair for us both. If you can have a relationship with James-”

“James wasn’t a child when I met him.” 

Kaidan's words hung in the air for a moment, as Shepard railed. Then, blood pounded in Shepard's ears.

“What?” Shepard shouted, standing up. “She wasn’t a child. She's never been a child on this ship. We’ve known Tali years.”

“Yeah,” Kaidan retorted, giving Shepard an unsure look. “When she was on her pilgrimage. A journey into adulthood. It’s just…it doesn’t feel right, Shepard.”

Shepard laughed, incredulous. “And she doesn’t get a say in this? What about _her_ agency?”

Kaidan sighed, looking weary. “You are her _boss_ , Shepard. You order her into the firing-line every day. You order the people around her into the firing-line every day. You don’t think that’s a conflict of interest?”

“I know how to lead!”

“Yeah, and you’re so great at leading that the whole galaxy falls at your feet. You’re Commander Shepard: the one hope any of us has of surviving. Of course, a young, impressionable, lonely woman, away from her people, is going to fall for her Commander. It’s the oldest trope going.”

“You outrank James,” Shepard replied, cold.

“Yeah, maybe that’s worth looking at, then, Shepard. But when James and I started working through this we communicated. We talk about all of our fears, including me being Major. And I never knew him long enough to be accused of grooming.”

Shepard’s throat tightened. “You think that’s what I did?”

Kaidan shrugged, at a loss. “I think that’s how it’s going to look. And people have a right to question it when she’s your employee and barely an adult.”

"But she is an adult."

"And you're in your thirties. In a senior position. Have you even spoken to her about that? Have you spoken to her about what people will say?"

Shepard looked at Kaidan, aghast. “This is war. We are fighting a war with the reapers. I don’t think anyone is going to raise an eyebrow in light of everything.”

"Oh, come on, Shepard!" Kaidan shouted. “You say that like the media hasn’t spent three years looking for anything else to comment on, as though they haven’t spent all of their time trying to tarnish your name and ignoring the reaper threat.”

“I don’t care about the media,” Shepard spat. This was a private matter between him, Kaidan and Tali. He shot Kaidan a confused look. Trying to figure out the dynamics of their relationship had been complicated, but they were happy. He was glad that Kaidan and James had found something beautiful together. He had thought Kaidan would be happy that he had found that with someone else, too. It was what they had both wanted. 

“I do care, Shepard. I care about how it looks, how it is...” Kaidan replied simply, “and I need time to think this through.”

Shepard tried to step closer to Kaidan but his partner moved back. “Look," Shepard tried, desperately trying to calm things down, "we both said we’d need to agree to any potential partners that we wanted to explore a relationship with. If this is a problem…”

“It is a problem," Kaidan replied. "But not whether you want to explore how we experience polyamory. I don’t feel like I know you after this. It’s…it’s Tali. Our Tali. I can’t get my head around the fact you even think of her like that. I need time. I need to think about us.”

“Are you serious?" Shepard asked, stunned. "Kaidan? After everything?”

“I need to go, Shepard. Like I said, I need time.”


End file.
